Most of my comments in this article are in a theological vein (in keeping with Matthew’s original article). But theology cannot be separated from pastoral practice and experience in this or any area. My own journey is as a Christian who experiences same-sex attraction but who has chosen to move away from a gay identity, and I have written about this here.
This means that I know from absolutely first-hand experience that the church’s prohibition of same-sex sexual activity is not based on prejudice but is based precisely on love. I have never experienced homophobic treatment in the church. Rather, the church accepted and nurtured me, and encouraged me in my vocation as a clergy person and theologian, just as it also gave me guidance and direction about how to order my life and relationships. In my experience, unconditional acceptance of me as a person and clear moral teaching about how I should live were two sides of the same coin.
This is not to deny the existence of homophobia in the church, and that remains something which we must confront and condemn. But the view that same-sex sexual activity is wrong is not in itself homophobic.
Am I the only one around that longs for the time when it was crude and in bad taste to discuss sexual matters in public?
I mostly don’t care for these kinds of folk simply because I find them to be dull, low-bred, coarse, and without manners, (for discussing this at all), though they often put on airs otherwise I am not fooled nor is anybody with any sort of decent rearing. Like a loud drunk at a party, who should have been made to leave hours ago, nobody wishes you around any more until you remember your manners and decorum.
Take it up with God (He has your answer, really He does). Give the rest of us a rest. From all of this. Please.
I would also add that what we really need to confront as Church is God and our own salvation. Anybody needing to “confront” homophobia would be well advised to first confront not having much of a life with more interesting things to do, and more interesting things to think about.
Sean and I were fellow students at Wycliffe Hall and I can assure you “dull” is truly the very last word you’d use if you knew him. Neither is he low-bred, coarse, or without manners. Besides, a certain carpenter of our mutual acquaintance seemed to have no difficulty with low-breds.
The Sean I know is lively, witty, intelligent, thoughtful, godly and compassionate, and I’m delighted that he wrote what he wrote. It’s a good thing that the church actually has the guts to grapple with the sexual chaos affecting people’s lives and culture, rather than maintain an embarrassed silence or a facade of impotent rectitude.
Less good is that the church is itself in such a muddle about it, but there we go; even that is better out in the open than simply brushed under the carpet.